At Escopazzo, executive chef Giancarla
Bodoni instills a commitment to the ingredients and menu items that
reflect what is eaten on the dinner tables in every region of Italy.
Miami Beach – Brimming with the charm instilled by the Bodoni family’s
warm persona, Escopazzo is not a traditional Italian restaurant – at
least in American terms. Along Washington Avenue in Miami Beach,
executive chef Giancarla Bodoni offers a culinary escape to authentic
and creative Italian cuisine and culture with a menu that emphasizes
family recipes from the different regions of Italy.
While many Americans identify Italian food with lasagna and spaghetti,
Bodoni strives to educate guests about what composes true Italian
favorites – such as selections like free-range beef carpaccio with
marinated artichokes, arugula and parmigiano; porcini flour tagliolini
with sambuca braised fennel, dried orange, sea scallops and shrimp; and
filet of Florida red snapper with chickpeas, calamari and tomato.
Opened as a 35-seat restaurant in 1995, Escopazzo is the creation of
Giancarla’s husband, Pino Bodoni, an accredited sommelier who was born
in Rome and is a member of the Italian Federation of Chefs. Born in
Bolivia, Giancarla Bodoni honed her culinary expertise alongside
husband Pino and his father, Giorgio, a former president of the Italian
Restaurant Association in Rome. Escopazzo is a true family restaurant,
Pino’s mother, Maria Pia, is known for her tiramisu, which she makes
daily. Pino and Giancarla also have three children – Giancarlo, Silvio
and Giulia.
Inspired by their passion to introduce Americans to the dishes that are
served at family dinner tables in Italy, the Bodonis import ingredients
from the different regions of Italy. From the olive oil to the artisan
pasta, most of the ingredients that are used to create Escopazzo’s
selections are Italian-made. Giancarla also uses organic produce from a
farm in Homestead and free-range chicken and beef, reflecting her
devotion to preparing fresh meals that burst with flavor.
“We are committed to providing guests with cuisine that is truly
Italian in terms of ingredients and the method of cooking,” Giancarla
Bodoni said. “We respect the flavors, ingredients and the tradition of
preparing indigenous cuisine.”
Escopazzo’s menu begins with antipasti (appetizers), carpacci and
insalate (salads). Prosciutoo di parma with fresh black mission figs;
buffalo milk mozzarella with grape tomato and basil sprouts; and
asparagus flan with mixed cheese fonduta and truffle mushrooms; are
among the selection of appetizers. Yellowfin tuna carpaccio with
fennel, pink peppercorns, chives and farm-raised Baerii caviar; and
salt-cured balsamic marinated swordfish carpaccio with mustard sprouts,
are two of the features carpacci items. The insalate offerings include
arugula salad with smoked pork, walnuts, apple and blueberries; and
mizuna salad with cherimoya, orange, fennel and almonds.
Escopazzo’s fresh homemade pasta is made daily and features rosemary
fettucine with a bolognese beef ragout; and squid ink pasta with ragout
of mussels, clams, and calamari in a crispy pasta basket; and pumpkin
and amaretto filled ravioli with vegetable brunoise and truffle cream
sauce.
Grass-fed New England beef tenderloin filled with a smoked mozzarella
in a Madeira, sage and amarene cherry sauce; veal shank osso buco with
saffron risotto; filet of Mediterranean sea bass with crispy oyster
mushrooms, purple potatoes, speck ham and thyme sauce; and arctic char
with lemon, truffle zabaglione, asparagus and roasted beef carpaccio
are among the meat and fish selections.
Desserts are made fresh daily as well and feature homemade gelato,
crème caramel, crème brulee, Valhora chocolate cake and, of course,
Maria Pia’s tiramisu, which incorporates 32 egg yolks and more than 1 ½
pounds of imported mascarpone.
Even the décor reflects the ambience of Italy. Giancarla’s hand-painted
mural of Sicily, Florence, Venice and Rome adds artistic detail to the
interior, which features a floor of Italian tiles with stone
inlays. A wooden beam that is suspended from the ceiling in the front
dining area is adorned with lush plants. Reminiscent of an Italian
courtyard garden, the back dining room is enlivened by a water fountain
made of stone and faux windows. The immaculate wine cellar is visually
stunning, and the marble bar in the back area is ideal for parties and
special events.
“As ambassadors of authentic Italian cuisine and culture, we have a
responsibility to reflect that here in every aspect,” Giancarla Bodoni
said. “That is why – from the wines and ingredients to the menu items
and even the artwork – the different regions of Italy are represented.”
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